semmens



N0. 6I6,l49. Patented Dec. 20, I898.

A. W. SEM MENS &. J. J. EVEL.

BUBIAL CASKET.

(Application filed Dec. 16, 1896. Renawed Nov. 14, 1898.)

(No Model.)

I I r I I I r 1 l I l I I I I l t 1 1' uonms vmn! C9. PuoTc-umu, WASNINGTON n c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR \V. SEMMENS AND JAMES J. EVEL, OF HAMILTON, CANADA.

BU RIAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,149, dated December 20, 1898.

Application filed December 16, 1896. Renewed November 14, 1898. Serial No. 696,470. (No model.)

To ctZZ whont it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ARTHUR W. SEMMENS and JAMES J. EVEL, citizens of Canada, residing at Hamilton, in-the county of Wentworth and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flexible Sliding Covers for Bu riaLCaskets, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention consists of a burial-casket with flexible cover in two parts, one part to slide open toward the head and the other toward the foot of the casket; also, with the sides hinged to the bottom, so that either one or both may be let down to give the casket the appearance of a couch.

The objects of our invention are, first, to provide a casket with a flexible sliding cover that is capable of easy and immediate adj ustment to any degree of opening at any desired place second, to provide means of transforming the appearance of a casket to resemble a couch, and, third, to afford facilities for the proper adjustment of the several parts. We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of our improved casket, showing the flexible sliding cover adjusted partially to an open position. Fig. 2 is a sectional end elevation showing the position of one hinged side in broken lines as it would appear when lowered down. This lowered position of a side gives the casket the resemblance of a couch. Fig. 3 is a plan of the casket, showing the flexible sliding cover partially opened, as in Fig. 1.

Similar letters and numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The lower part or base of this casket is indicated by the letter A, the sides by B, and the cover by O.

This cover is flexible and capable of sliding around in semicircular or curved form by reason of its construction. This constructive feature of the cover is very important and, as shown in the drawings, composed of halfrounded transverse slats, which may be suitably arranged and held apart by means of tape or other suitable material and may also be of diverse shape, pattern, or material.

This cover is capable of sliding in the grooves 2, which are formed on the inner sides of the sides B, and asemicircular or curved opening which is formed in each end of the casket and continued along the inner side of the base. This continuous opening or channel has a covering D, which is the bed of the casket. This bed D continues at each end upward in circular or curved form as far as the horizontal line 3, which denotes the top of the inclosed opening in which the flexible cover is incased when the casket is fully un covered. The two exposed or upper ends of this flexible cover are not allowed to pass this particular line 3. In fact, the casket is fully open enough when these two upper ends of the cover are within one or two inches from this line 3. To prevent this cover from going too far when being opened, stops may be used in any convenient place below the bed D.

When one or both sides of this casket are lowered down on their hinges 6, the casket is then in the form of a couch, principally used in thesmaller caskets. The sides of the casket can only be lowered when the cover is in its inclosure or receptacle.

These flexible covers are very elaborately upholstered inside and out in suit-able material.

An important feature of this sliding cover is its ready and efflcient disposal or partial disposal and reinstatement when requisite. This method obviates all necessity of screwing, unscrewing, and removal of the ordinary lid or cover.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The combination in a burial-casket of a flexi ble cover, in two parts, capable of sliding in side grooves formed in the inner sides of the casket, and into the end inclosures which are formed in the ends of the casket, and into a lower inclosure formed between the bottom of the inner part of the casket and the base thereof, hinged side or sides of the casket capable of falling down at right angles to the base of the casket, substantially as described and set forth.

ARTHUR W. SEMMENS. JAMES J. EVEL.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. HENDRY, B. E. HERALD. I 

